We're getting exactly what we want

M

mac

All-Star
#1
#1
Amidst the many many heartbreaking losses we've had, I suddenly realised something. We are doing about everything right. We're playing hard, and losing by a teeny bit due to inexperience. Less wins = higher draft pick + motivation next season, where the players know how good they can be and have gained more experience in closing out games.

Even though we haven't been winning that much lately, this team gives me a reason to cheer. The team makes me expect that they'll beat the likes of LA and Cleveland, and the way they've been playing I really can't fault them for much. Sure, at the end of every close game we point to a few plays or players and criticize them. To me, this lets me see them grow even more, from making terrible mistakes to knowing the game well. The day JT learns to be cool will be a great one for us.

So fellow fans, I urge you to realise that we have an extremely bright future ahead of us
 
GameBall

GameBall

Bench
#2
#2
mac said:
Amidst the many many heartbreaking losses we've had, I suddenly realised something. We are doing about everything right. We're playing hard, and losing by a teeny bit due to inexperience. Less wins = higher draft pick + motivation next season, where the players know how good they can be and have gained more experience in closing out games.

Even though we haven't been winning that much lately, this team gives me a reason to cheer. The team makes me expect that they'll beat the likes of LA and Cleveland, and the way they've been playing I really can't fault them for much. Sure, at the end of every close game we point to a few plays or players and criticize them. To me, this lets me see them grow even more, from making terrible mistakes to knowing the game well. The day JT learns to be cool will be a great one for us.

So fellow fans, I urge you to realise that we have an extremely bright future ahead of us
Click to expand...
I agree. As hard as it was to swallow last night's loss against the Lakers, I'll take that over what we've been through the last three seasons. There's hope of a better future with this team.
 
F

folsomfella

G-League
#5
#5
mac said:
Amidst the many many heartbreaking losses we've had, I suddenly realised something. We are doing about everything right. We're playing hard, and losing by a teeny bit due to inexperience. Less wins = higher draft pick + motivation next season, where the players know how good they can be and have gained more experience in closing out games.

Even though we haven't been winning that much lately, this team gives me a reason to cheer. The team makes me expect that they'll beat the likes of LA and Cleveland, and the way they've been playing I really can't fault them for much. Sure, at the end of every close game we point to a few plays or players and criticize them. To me, this lets me see them grow even more, from making terrible mistakes to knowing the game well. The day JT learns to be cool will be a great one for us.

So fellow fans, I urge you to realise that we have an extremely bright future ahead of us
Click to expand...
No offense, but this is akin to saying "money isn't everything." To which someone else might respond, "That's just what poor people say."

I'm getting tired already of excusing these lapses as learning moments. A pro team shouldn't need to learn how to protect a 20-point lead and a pro team shouldn't need to learn to not leave anyone open for a three at the end like that.
 
OptimusRhyme

OptimusRhyme

Jive Turkey
#8
#8
do the lakers just suck? or are we actually that good that it takes double OT's and buzzer beaters from the "world champs" to beat our depleted rookie team?

Its unbelievable what westphal has done with these players. Now imagine the 50 points were missing with Kmart and Tyreke.

I think when we get everyone back this team is going to go on a serious run.
 
Kingster

Kingster

Hall of Famer
#9
#9
I don't know if the Kings will win a game against the Lakers this year, but I'd be surprised if they don't get one or more next year. Hopefully, Kobe sticks around for two more years because two years from now the Kings are going to win the regular season series. I want to see his face when it happens.
 
Sac.Kings

Sac.Kings

All-Star
#10
#10
I am really looking forward to when this team gets everyone back. I don't think we will start winning right away, but chemistry will evolve even more, and we will have a better starting five, and an even better bench. I do expect a trade though, way too many wing players, and lucky for us, almost all of them are solid/good.
 
Showtime

Showtime

Starter
#11
#11
I'm so sick of hearing that the team is losing because of youth, or lack of experience. Neither of which factor into shooting FT's, which probably accounts for 5 losses on the season.
 
rainmaker

rainmaker

Hall of Famer
#12
#12
Showtime said:
I'm so sick of hearing that the team is losing because of youth, or lack of experience. Neither of which factor into shooting FT's, which probably accounts for 5 losses on the season.
Click to expand...
Youth and lack of experience contribute to missing ft's with the game on the line. Not an excuse for Udoke, but it definately has contributed to a few losses on the road. The longer you're in the league, and the more pressure ft's you shoot, the more comfortable you will feel shooting ft's in end-game situations.

I don't look at it as an excuse, but reality. A fustrating reality. But young guys usually feel the pressure more than vets.
 
M

M_Barragan

Bench
#13
#13
We are just a Bad Freethrowing shooting team... Particularly in the Clutch. I'm glad we are competitive but I still think we need a little more talent on the team. Honestly one more post player if Dante Pans out to what I think he can become.

I feel good as a Kings Fan again. These losses suck but what would suck more is going in there and losing by 20+ points and knowing your team is years away from a winning record...

PS... They just turned a Lakers bandwagon fan into a kings fans again. With my friendly persuasion of course...
 
A

Asaf

Starter
#14
#14
Showtime said:
I'm so sick of hearing that the team is losing because of youth, or lack of experience. Neither of which factor into shooting FT's, which probably accounts for 5 losses on the season.
Click to expand...
Of course it's a factor. That's not to say vets don't miss free throws, but inexperienced players are prone to let the pressure get to them way more than experienced ones, and that's pretty much what FTs are about - handling the pressure.

That's exactly the difference between learning something in theory or in practice, and learning it in real and painful situations. The latter lessons are the ones that are burned into your consciousness in a way that will make it much less likely to make those mistakes. There are just some things that can't be taught by someone else.
 
M

M_Barragan

Bench
#15
#15
rainmaker said:
Youth and lack of experience contribute to missing ft's with the game on the line. Not an excuse for Udoke, but it definately has contributed to a few losses on the road. The longer you're in the league, and the more pressure ft's you shoot, the more comfortable you will feel shooting ft's in end-game situations.

I don't look at it as an excuse, but reality. A fustrating reality. But young guys usually feel the pressure more than vets.
Click to expand...
He's not young true... but he was also cut from another team.
We have to understand he was cut for reasons... one of them being they felt he was just not that good of a player. His inability to be clutch is one of them. Sure any player can have a killer night any given night.

But good and great players do it at a consistent basis. I still like Ime though good cheap pick up and plays hard.
 
M

M_Barragan

Bench
#16
#16
Asaf said:
Of course it's a factor. That's not to say vets don't miss free throws, but inexperienced players are prone to let the pressure get to them way more than experienced ones, and that's pretty much what FTs are about - handling the pressure.

That's exactly the difference between learning something in theory or in practice, and learning it in real and painful situations. The latter lessons are the ones that are burned into your consciousness in a way that will make it much less likely to make those mistakes. There are just some things that can't be taught by someone else.
Click to expand...
Unless you're Nick Anderson lol
 
Showtime

Showtime

Starter
#17
#17
rainmaker said:
Youth and lack of experience contribute to missing ft's with the game on the line.
Click to expand...
No, they do not. That is a cheap cop out for lack of execution. Are Udoka, Noc, Beno, Sergio, etc young and inexperienced players? Do you think the 2002 team lacked talent or experience? They were the most talented team in the league with a few years of playoff experience and veterans on the team, and yet they couldn't hit FT's. Free Throw shooting is the great equalizer. It doesn't matter how talented or experienced you are, it's about hitting a shot you've practiced since you 13 years old. Choking at the line isn't about being young or lacking experience. It's about execution.
 
Showtime

Showtime

Starter
#18
#18
Asaf said:
Of course it's a factor. That's not to say vets don't miss free throws, but inexperienced players are prone to let the pressure get to them way more than experienced ones, and that's pretty much what FTs are about - handling the pressure.
Click to expand...
Then your excuse only is relevant to young and inexperienced players, which does NOT explain the situation with the kings, because we have seen the older veterans choke at the line too. You are right: it's about pressure to execute in tight situations. Lacking age or experience doesn't automatically solve this. Any player of any age or experience can fail to execute, so I don't want to hear about youth or experience at the FT line.
 
A

Asaf

Starter
#19
#19
Showtime said:
Then your excuse only is relevant to young and inexperienced players, which does NOT explain the situation with the kings, because we have seen the older veterans choke at the line too. You are right: it's about pressure to execute in tight situations. Lacking age or experience doesn't automatically solve this. Any player of any age or experience can fail to execute, so I don't want to hear about youth or experience at the FT line.
Click to expand...
Like I said, experience is only part of it. Vets miss shots as well. Personally, I don't understand how professional basketball players can miss FTs at all, but the fact is that it happens, and the Kings are far from being the only team that misses FTs. If there was a magic formula to resolve this then every team would be shooting 98% from the line, but there isn't. Omri's start of the season was a perfect example of this mystery. He shot extremely well from 3, but couldn't hit a FT to save his life. Obviously he can shoot, and PW said he even made 15 consecutive FTs in practice, but there is a mental thing about FTs that is hard to crack. I think that the fact that PW refused to make a big deal out of Omri's FT slump has a lot to do with his improvement from the line. Putting more pressure on them in that front can only make things worse. It's not like they don't practice these shots.
 
JoMama

JoMama

Bench
#20
#20
I thought we'd get buried by 15 or 20 points at Staples. Was amazed we took it to them right to the final buzzer. Kids have heart, if not all the smarts and skills to close out big games. Westphal is next to God right now. Imagine how we would have been annihilated under last year's coaching staff! :eek:
 
Vlade4GM

Vlade4GM

All-Star
#22
#22
OptimusRhyme said:
do the lakers just suck? or are we actually that good that it takes double OT's and buzzer beaters from the "world champs" to beat our depleted rookie team?

Its unbelievable what westphal has done with these players. Now imagine the 50 points were missing with Kmart and Tyreke.

I think when we get everyone back this team is going to go on a serious run.
Click to expand...
For whatever it's worth they haven't been playing their best lately.
 
A

AriesMar27

Guest
#23
#23
youth had nothing to do with last nights loss... you shouldnt have to be clutch when you have a 20 point lead. im not mad at the loss but it was an epic failure... we had a 20 point lead and lost. the is the opposite of the bulls game and why i wast impressed by it. it was more of a choke job by the bulls than a success by the kings. just like last nights game was a massive choke job by the kings than it was perfect execution by the world champion lakers.

we had a 15 point lead at halftime and lost it. all we had to do was trade buckets with them. but we scored all of 6 points in the first 6 minutes of the third, 4 ft's by casspi and a jumper by beno. had we pushed it back to 20 the lakers wouldve just given it to us.
 
M

mac

All-Star
#25
#25
I'm not saying that there is any excuse for our losses. I'm stating a fact, we are young and inexperienced. That doesn't entitle us to blow leads and stuff, and for that the team has vast room to improve. I'm simply reminding people that for our team losing isn't the end of the road, it improves our draft position and motivates our players to improve.

It's up to the individual i guess, whether you want to focus on the fact that we lose because of poor FT shooting or the fact that we're in the game despite poor FT shooting
 
bajaden

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#26
#26
AriesMar27 said:
youth had nothing to do with last nights loss... you shouldnt have to be clutch when you have a 20 point lead. im not mad at the loss but it was an epic failure... we had a 20 point lead and lost. the is the opposite of the bulls game and why i wast impressed by it. it was more of a choke job by the bulls than a success by the kings. just like last nights game was a massive choke job by the kings than it was perfect execution by the world champion lakers.

we had a 15 point lead at halftime and lost it. all we had to do was trade buckets with them. but we scored all of 6 points in the first 6 minutes of the third, 4 ft's by casspi and a jumper by beno. had we pushed it back to 20 the lakers wouldve just given it to us.
Click to expand...

Let me see. I'm trying to organize this in my brain so it will compute. So your saying that despite the fact that the Kings were without two of their best players. That the main contributers for the team were all under 23 years of age, and that they were playing the current world champions, all experienced players, not only in the league but in the playoffs, that the Lakers don't deserve any credit for what occurred. That no matter what, you expected the Kings to be just as good as the Lakers and match them basket for basket and maintain that 20 point lead..

Yeah, OK, thats logical. Your a funny guy!!!! You don't make sense to me at times, but you do give me a good laugh. By the way, Happy New Year..:D
 
VF21

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#28
#28
bajaden said:
Let me see. I'm trying to organize this in my brain so it will compute. So your saying that despite the fact that the Kings were without two of their best players. That the main contributers for the team were all under 23 years of age, and that they were playing the current world champions, all experienced players, not only in the league but in the playoffs, that the Lakers don't deserve any credit for what occurred. That no matter what, you expected the Kings to be just as good as the Lakers and match them basket for basket and maintain that 20 point lead..

Yeah, OK, thats logical. Your a funny guy!!!! You don't make sense to me at times, but you do give me a good laugh. By the way, Happy New Year..:D
Click to expand...
Evans, Martin AND Garcia... :)
 
Kings Faithful

Kings Faithful

Starter
#29
#29
The "ITZ SO AWESOME WE LOST BECAUSE WE GETZ HIGHER DRAFT PICKZ!" mindset really irks me. I don't care who is in the draft, losing isn't good. Losing can have good consequences, like experience and the mentioned higher draft pick, but personally I would rather win... We will probably finish the season 1 spot out of the eighth seed and will most likely have the last lottery pick or possibly the second to last. Whether we end up with 13, 14, 15, or 16 I personally don't think will matter that much when it comes to Petrie. He seems to pick guys that wouldn't be picked until later in the draft anyways, and usually comes out looking like the smartest man alive.
 
VF21

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#30
#30
Kings Faithful said:
The "ITZ SO AWESOME WE LOST BECAUSE WE GETZ HIGHER DRAFT PICKZ!" mindset really irks me. I don't care who is in the draft, losing isn't good. Losing can have good consequences, like experience and the mentioned higher draft pick, but personally I would rather win... We will probably finish the season 1 spot out of the eighth seed and will most likely have the last lottery pick or possibly the second to last. Whether we end up with 13, 14, 15, or 16 I personally don't think will matter that much when it comes to Petrie. He seems to pick guys that wouldn't be picked until later in the draft anyways, and usually comes out looking like the smartest man alive.
Click to expand...
You're reading way too much into what was, by most, merely an attempt to find something positive out of the experience. I cannot think of even one Kings fan who would have preferred to lose. Sometimes, though, you're left with the only option of trying to make lemonade out of lemons...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.